


The Other Side

by kimuracarter



Series: The Reason [4]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Drugs, Hurt/Comfort, Imprisonment, M/M, Memory Loss, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-04
Updated: 2013-06-03
Packaged: 2017-12-13 21:52:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/829273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimuracarter/pseuds/kimuracarter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack is on a new planet, engaged to a princess. So, why is he having nightmares about the Doctor?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story stands alone or can be read as the fourth installment of The Reason series. It's kind of a strange story, so I hope you enjoy! I do not own Doctor Who or Torchwood. All characters belong to the BBC and/or Russell T. Davies.

_Jack struggled against the arms that held him fast. Across from him, he could see the Doctor was in the same predicament._

“We are going to have so much fun with the two of you,” a voice announced. Jack couldn’t locate the source. 

They — whoever they were — started to drag the Doctor away. 

“NO! DOCTOR!” 

The Doctor yelled something in response, but the words were garbled. 

“Relax, Captain. You won’t miss him for long.” 

~~~

Jack gasped awake in the quiet, dark room. 

“Shh, my love,” a female voice purred beside him. “It was only a dream.” 

Jack’s breathing began to slow as he sagged back against the soft pillows. “Right. A dream.” 

“It was about him again, wasn’t it?” 

“Yeah,” Jack answered. 

“My poor baby,” the woman murmured, stroking his hair. “Here, this will help.” 

The touching stopped as Jack heard her pouring a liquid into a glass; he reached out for it. Her superior night vision enabled her to hand it to him without turning on a light. “Thanks, sweetheart.” Jack took a healthy swig of the sweet liquid. He put the glass on his nightstand and settled back down, spooning against her warm body. “Same dream, too.” 

“It will pass, Jack.” 

Jack closed his eyes. “I know. Sorry to keep waking you up because of … him.” 

“It’s all right. You know I require less sleep than you.” 

“Still.” He yawned, drowsiness coming over him once again. “I’d give anything to stop dreaming about that son of a bitch.” 

~~~

When Jack awoke again, he was alone, and sunlight was streaming in through the large glass windows. He smiled and stretched lazily. It would be a few hours before Princess Yulena returned; he had the place to himself, as it were. He got up and pulled on some light clothing for a jog, checking his reflection in the enormous mirror on the wall. It stretched for a full eight feet and stood six feet tall. He had asked Yulena about it, but she simply said that it had been installed ages ago, and she had grown used to it. After a few weeks, Jack was nearly used to it as well. Sometimes it made it seem as if there was someone else in the room with him, but he was getting over his unease. He stretched carefully, warming up and inspecting his reflection at the same time. He had to keep himself in top condition; it wouldn’t do for the Princess’s betrothed to be seen looking unkempt. Satisfied at his appearance, he left the royal apartment, nodding to the guards in the hallway before making his way down to one of the many, impeccably landscaped courtyards. He jogged four laps around it. 

The Palace of the Gontreckna family was immense, easily the size of a city. Jack seldom went outside it anymore, as he had to be under royal guard when he did. And Yulena was never happy about it when she was told later. Jack decided instead to content himself by spending his days inside the palace walls, exploring, relaxing, and generally having no demands made of him whatsoever. He laughed sometimes when he imagined what the Doctor would think of him now, living in the lap of luxury. Even his Torchwood team probably would have been surprised. But with so many lifetimes ahead of him, Jack was determined to live at least one of them comfortably. Yulena knew of his “condition,” which was part of the reason he would never actually rule the planet. _Wouldn’t be fair to have an immortal king_ , he thought to himself as he sat down by one of the sculptures. He looked up at the pink sky, enjoying the sun on his face. 

After being dropped and abandoned on this planet, Yulena had taken him in and eventually asked him to spend the rest of her days with her. To his own surprise, at first, he had said yes. Now, he could hardly think of wanting another life. He knew that when Yulena eventually passed — though Ontuksians had lifespans that were twice that of humans — he would move on. But that was a long way off. Yulena was young. Jack looked up as he heard a faint noise coming from the palace. He tried to jog towards the source of it, but he couldn’t locate it. “What’s that sound?” he asked one of the guards. 

“I’m afraid that the royal family keeps many pets, some of which become unruly from time to time. I apologize for the disturbance, sir. Shall I check on it for you?” 

“Nah. I was just curious. Never mind,” Jack answered, jogging back to the rooms he shared with Yulena. The noise had stopped, but for some reason, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He had never seen any pets at the palace. He made a mental note to look for them later as he stepped into the shower. He didn’t want to be late for breakfast — or brunch — or whatever the proper name for the meal was. His new lifestyle was worth the price of playing domestic with the royal family at designated intervals. 

~~~

The Doctor tried to lie as still as possible. He switched to respiratory bypass, since breathing hurt, due to his broken ribs. He faintly tried to think of the last time he had eaten anything and couldn’t remember. The long Ontuksian days blurred together, even with his superior time sense. He was too busy trying to stay alive. 

He heard the cell door open, though he lacked the energy to even lift his head; his back was to the door. 

“Are we starting to wear you down, Doctor? That’s a bit disappointing.” 

The Doctor forced his eyes to stay open, even though he was staring at the wall. “What’ve you done with Jack? Where is he?” 

“Your concern for him is touching, if completely baffling, Doctor. He can’t die. You can. I will never understand why you keep asking about him.” 

“Because I know what you can do,” the Doctor said, keeping the waver out of his voice. “I know how you can play with people’s minds. Where is he?” 

“He’s safe and well, if you must know,” the man answered, coming closer. “In fact, you’ll be able to see him soon.” 

“What’ve you done to him?” 

The man laughed harshly. “Made him happy, Doctor. Something I doubt you could have done successfully.” 

The Doctor mentally winced; he had hardly had the chance to try. It had only been a few weeks since he had brought Jack back from Azamarya. Things had been going well but slowly. They thought they had all the time in the universe until they decided to answer a distress call from this planet. It had turned out to be a trap for them both. 

“Are you going to be angry with us for that?” the man challenged. 

“Yes, because it’s not real,” the Doctor ground out. 

“Of course it’s real. But anyway, enough chat for now. Since I doubt you can manage it yourself, I’ll have the guards bring you to your new quarters. Then you’ll be able to see Jack whenever you want.” 

“I’m warning you; undo whatever you’ve put into his head. Let him go.” 

“I’m sorry, Doctor, but he’s betrothed to my sister.” 

“What?!” The Doctor involuntarily jerked at that and bit back a cry of pain. 

“Oh, did no one tell you? One day, he’s going to marry Yulena. I wouldn’t dream of breaking her heart by taking away her fiancé.” 

The Doctor fought down a wave of nausea. “No,” he whispered. He took a deep breath. “This is wrong. It isn’t real!” 

A staff impacted with the Doctor’s legs. The Time Lord screamed, trying not to writhe in pain or move at all. 

“Take him to his new quarters,” the prince told the guards. “I can’t wait to see his face.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Jack shoved Yulena against the wall and began nibbling her neck, teasing the fuchsia skin and running his fingers across the soft fur on her arms that stopped at her wrists. 

She giggled, reaching her hands underneath his shirt. 

“Can’t save it for the honeymoon?” a voice teased, walking towards them. 

Jack immediately straightened up and bowed his head. “Prince Nihemse. My apologies.” 

“Oh, knock it off,” Yulena said irritably. 

Nihemse smiled. “Jack, I couldn’t be happier for my sister. I was only teasing.” 

Jack relaxed into a smile as well. “Guess I’m glad it was you and not your dad, catching me making out with your sister in the hall.” 

“Indeed,” Nihemse agreed, twirling his ornate walking stick. 

“He’s not happy with you either,” Yulena said, straightening her clothes. “You missed breakfast.” 

Nihemse grinned innocently, leaning on the wooden stick. “I hope you gave them my sincerest apologies.” 

Jack frowned. “Is that blood?” 

“What?” the siblings chorused. 

Jack pointed to a few flecks of red liquid in the middle of the cane. “There. It looks like blood.” 

Nihemse lifted the cane and looked at it critically. “Really? Is that what color your blood is? How strange.” He wiped the drops on his pants. “As you’re the only one of your kind of this planet, and to my knowledge, you haven’t bled around me lately, I would have to say that more likely came as a result of a tour around the kitchen. Probably just a bit of sauce.” 

“Come on, Jack,” Yulena said, pulling on his hand. “Let’s go have a – er, nap – before I have to see to my duties again.” 

Nihemse good-naturedly rolled his yellow eyes. “Just keep out of the hallways, dear sister.” 

Jack smirked and swept Yulena into his arms, walking back towards their rooms. “No problem, Your Highness.” 

Yulena threw her head back and laughed. 

~~~ 

Jack kicked open the door to their room and set Yulena down. He had barely closed the door before she was on top of him, pushing his back against the door and kissing him hungrily. 

Jack chuckled softly. “Little eager, are we?” 

“So were you, before my brother so rudely interrupted us,” Yulena gasped between kisses. 

Jack froze, looking up at the enormous mirror. 

Yulena stopped. “Jack, what is it?” 

“It’s … the mirror,” he said slowly, staring it. “There’s something different.” 

Yulena laughed. “Don’t be silly, Jack. Come on, let’s go to the bed, so you don’t have to look at it.” She pulled on his hand, but Jack shook her off. 

“No, really! There’s something different.” 

Yulena sighed, going to a pitcher of amber liquid and pouring it into two glasses. “Like what, Jack? It’s just a mirror. It only reflects whatever’s in the room. And right now, that’s just you and me.” She held out one of the glasses to him. “Come on. Drink up. I have to get back to my terribly thrilling royal duties in a bit.” 

Jack accepted the glass and knocked back all of the drink in one go. He turned away from the mirror, smiling at her. “Now, where were we?” 

~~~ 

The Doctor banged weakly against the glass, even though he knew it was futile. “Jack! JACK!” Tears were running freely down his cheeks; he’d given up on any sense of pride the second he saw Jack on the other side of the two-way mirror. He could see out, but Jack couldn’t see in. 

He wept bitterly as he watched Jack make love to Yulena in their luxurious bedroom. It was the cruelest torture they had devised for him yet. While he had been abused, Jack had been pampered and wasn’t even looking for him. He’d had a flash of hope when Jack was distracted by the mirror, but it dissolved as Yulena had coaxed him into bed. 

_There must be something in that drink_ , the Doctor thought as he took deep, gasping breaths to get himself back under control. _They’re manipulating him. He didn’t abandon me. He wouldn’t._

“So, Doctor, what do you think?” Nihemse purred from behind him. “Bigger than your old room, isn’t it? And you can’t beat that view.” 

“What’ve you done to him?” the Doctor demanded. 

Nihemse grinned. “Who says we’ve done anything?” 

The Doctor slammed his fist against the glass. “Ontuksian. You’re capable of manipulating the memories of almost every species in the universe with Time Lords being a notable exception. You’ve made him forget me. There’s something in that drink.” 

Nihemse sighed dramatically. “I suppose it was too much to hope that you would be fooled. Of course we have affected his memories. That drink is rodmuku, though, of course, Jack only thinks it’s sunparu. It helps to keep the artificial memories in place. Very useful for long term assignments.” 

“Let him go. I’ll do anything you want if you let him go.” 

“And deny us the exquisite pleasure of seeing your reaction to what you see?” 

“I know he hasn’t left me on purpose. You made him forget.” 

“Perhaps. But does that really make watching it more bearable?” 

The Doctor turned away and closed his eyes. 

“I thought not,” the prince said softly. “Here, we can have sound, too!” 

The Doctor’s eyes flew open. “No! Don’t!” 

Nihemse flipped a switch just in time to hear the couple climaxing, breathing each other’s names. 

The Doctor swallowed hard, forcing himself not to watch. It didn’t help. 

~~~ 

Jack smiled as Yulena snuggled up next to him, wrapping her leg and narrow tail around his leg. 

“Are you going to actually have a nap?” Yulena asked. 

“Nah,” Jack responded, pulling the blanket over her. “I’d probably just have more bad dreams.” He paused and frowned. “Yulena, how long have I been having those dreams?” 

“Hm? I dunno, a day or two. It will pass.” 

“I hope so.” 

Yulena stroked his hair. “I’m sorry, Jack. I wish there was something I could do.” 

He took her other hand and kissed it. “Nothing to be done, sweetheart. It’s just a dream.” 

She propped herself up with one elbow. “What would you say to him?” 

“What?” 

“The Doctor. If he were here right now, what would you say to him?” 

Jack laughed derisively. “I’d tell him that I hate him and to get the fuck out of my life. He lost any right to it when he left me. Again. After he promised …” Jack trailed off. “Wait, did he promise me? I can’t remember …” 

“It doesn’t matter, Jack. All that matters is that he left you again, and now you’re here.” 

Jack smiled at her. “And I won’t leave _you_. I promise.” 

Yulena grinned and kissed him. 

~~~ 

The Doctor closed his eyes, feeling tears streaming down his face. “You made him think I abandoned him again.” 

“Indeed. It was the easiest way to make him hate you. It wasn’t hard. Just had to make some of his more recent memories a little fuzzy and then insert a new one where you left him. And tweak some chemicals slightly to make him completely devoted to Yulena.” 

“It’s not real,” the Doctor stated. His forehead felt feverishly warm against the cool glass. “None of it. He doesn’t hate me, and he doesn’t love her.” 

Nihemse laughed. “Try to look at it from the other side, Doctor. It’s all very real to Jack.” 

The Doctor tried to stop crying. “What do you want from me?” 

“You’re a royal pet of the Gontreckna family, Doctor. Whatever we want from you, we will simply take. There will be no questions, no demands. Although we will be very anxious to monitor you when you eventually regenerate. And as for Jack, well, Yulena wanted him for herself. And we will derive so much pleasure from watching you be so close to him and yet still so far.” 

The Doctor looked up as Yulena got dressed and said goodbye to Jack. A few minutes later, she entered the cell. 

“Oh, that is so deliciously pathetic!” she cooed as she observed the Doctor slumped against the glass. 

The Doctor tried to ignore her. 

She fairly skipped up to him and knelt down beside him. “Do you know what the best part is, Doctor? This wouldn’t have worked with an ordinary human. The rodmuku is poisonous to them in large quantities. Of course, we don’t have to worry about that with Jack. If it kills him, we’ll just wipe his memory of it when he wakes up.” 

The Doctor stared at her. “You can’t.” 

“Oh, but we can,” she said, her green eyes shining. “We can do whatever we want. And as far as he knows, so can Jack. Now, that no longer includes you. He hates you.” 

Nihemse leapt forward and pulled his sister back as the Doctor lunged savagely at her. 

Yulena stomped on her brother’s foot as the Doctor tried to crawl towards them. “I thought you said he was broken!” 

“He was,” Nihemse said, eyeing the Doctor with awe. “Bringing him here put some fight back into him. Don’t worry. I’ll have the guards take care of it.” 

“I should hope so,” Yulena huffed. “I don’t like it when my viewings are interrupted.” 

The Doctor was still trying to drag himself towards them. 

“Guards!” Nihemse shouted. Two appeared at his side instantly. “Break him. Again. Make sure he stays that way but don’t let him regenerate.” 

The guards nodded and hauled the Doctor up by his arms. The Doctor twisted in their hold, trying to get back to the glass. “NO! JACK! JAAAAAACK!” 

_To be continued ..._


	3. Chapter 3

Jack woke up, breathing hard. It was the middle of the night. For once, Yulena remained peacefully asleep beside him. Grateful, he slipped out of bed and felt his way to the bathroom. 

He splashed cool water on his face and tried to remember how long he had been having the dream. _Why can’t I remember?_ He took a few deep breaths. It seemed like Yulena couldn’t remember either. 

_I need a system_ , he decided. _I need to keep track of how many nights this happens. What’s the best way to do that?_ Since Ontuksians could communicate telepathically with each other, they didn’t have many writing implements or paper. Even the guards were connected via telepathy. Historical records were downloaded from their minds and kept in computer main frames. Jack had been given free access to a workstation where he could read fiction and nonfiction to his heart’s content. It wasn’t quite the same as curling up with a good book, but it was the only Ontuksian alternative. 

The exception to the telepathy was the royal family. They considered it a “lower” form of communication and were bred with no telepathic abilities. All of the palace staff had to be trained to communicate verbally. Jack thought at first that this made the royals dangerously vulnerable to a rebellion. But their idea of telepathy was so ingrained in the people that no one else saw it that way. 

Jack absently reached for his wristband; he was shocked when he realized it wasn’t there. Then he remembered. He’d removed it at Yulena’s request. She said it was interrupting their cuddling. Where had she put it? 

_Never mind_ , he told himself. _I need to keep track of how often I have that dream._ Jack quietly groped his way back to bed and turned the lamp on a low level. Yulena stirred slightly but didn’t wake. Jack looked around and then scraped his fingernail experimentally along the paint on the ornate bedside table. Surprisingly, it came off neatly, leaving a tiny little nick. Jack grinned. He could keep track of things the old-fashioned way. Trying to be as quiet as possible, he knelt in front of the table and slowly rotated it so he could see the edge that normally faced the wall; it would be the least noticeable. 

He gasped and stared at the table. There were already a series of ticks and hashes on it. He’d thought of this before. _I started doing this … and then forgot?_ He quickly counted and came up with forty-one. _What?! That’s over a month! I haven’t been having this dream for that long … have I?_ He looked up at Yulena suspiciously. _What is going on? Has she been lying to me? She can’t have forgotten all that time._ Jack realized he was shaking. He made another tick with his fingernail and quietly pushed the table back into place. 

Guided by the low light, Jack went to the side table and poured himself a glass of the drink Yulena said was called sunparu. It wasn’t alcoholic, but it was damn addictive, sweet and refreshing. He paused before the liquid touched his lips. 

Some instinct was telling him not to drink it. He put down the glass, completely confused. He was starting to develop a headache. He fervently wished for the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver of his wristcomp to analyze the sunparu; he resolved not to drink any more until he knew for sure what was in it. He shivered again, thinking of the table with the forty-one marks on it. _Why can’t I remember?_ he wondered again. _Maybe I should see a doctor._

He felt nauseous at the thought. They weren’t familiar with humans. How would they be able to diagnose a neurological disorder? He toyed with the idea of killing himself to see if the damage to his memory could be repaired. But then, that had never done anything for the two years he lost thanks to the Time Agency. He looked up, seeing something out of the corner of his eye. 

He sighed as he realized it was only the mirror. 

_What is with that thing?_ Jack started to wonder if he was going a bit nuts. He walked towards the mirror, and placed his hand flat against it. _Okay, it is way too late to be figuring all of this out. I should go back to bed._

~~~

The Doctor flitted in and out of consciousness. His Time Lord brain went going into overdrive, trying to protect itself. 

_Vital organs are functioning minimally. Severe muscle damage consists of bruising, tears, and muscle wastage due to permanent confinement. Skeletal structure damage consists of three broken ribs, half-healed broken leg, two broken wrists, and a fractured jaw line. Self-mobility nearing nil. Mental capacities will start to fail. Danger of regenerating in two Ontuksian weeks if conditions continue._

Jack … I need Jack. How can I reach him? 

He’s had some telepathic training as a Time Agent, but how long has it been since he used it? Well, it’s not like I have many other options. My best shot will be when he’s asleep, and his mental barriers are relaxed. 

The Doctor momentarily roused himself; he realized he couldn’t move, because he was suspended from the floor with intricately tied ropes. It could almost be seen as a good thing, since he would most likely injure himself further if he tried to move. He looked up and squinted, seeing Jack standing in front of the mirror. 

He realized from the dim light that it was the middle of the night. Jack was standing in front of the glass with one hand on it; he was staring at it like he was trying to see through it. 

“Jack,” the Doctor whispered. He longed to reach out to him telepathically but stopped himself. He knew his best chance of success was when Jack was asleep, and he only had enough energy to try it once. He felt a few tears sliding down his face. “Jack. Please go back to bed, sweetheart. Please.” 

He closed his eyes and tumbled back into unconsciousness. When he woke again, it was day, and Jack was gone. 

~~~ 

Jack waved to the guards as he returned from his morning job. He eyed the mirror warily and called out, “Yulena? You back yet?” 

When he was sure he was alone, Jack reached under his shirt and produced a folded up linen he’d taken from a closet. He pulled a few small twigs from his pocket that he’d snatched as he was running in the courtyard. Jack had decided that morning, when Yulena gave him a strange look for declining sunparu, that he needed to keep track of what was going on. He knelt in front of the dresser that contained half of his clothes and opened the bottom drawer, carefully putting aside the shirts. His eyes nearly fell out of his head as he noticed a white cloth stained with red at the bottom. 

“This isn’t possible,” Jack muttered as he unfolded it. It was covered in notes written in blood. It was his own handwriting. He quickly scanned it. 

_Not sure what’s going on. I keep having these memory lapses and recurring dreams about the Doctor. I need to keep track of what’s happening. In fact, if you’re reading this and you don’t remember writing it, something is really wrong. Stop drinking the sunparu; it seems to make things worse, even though it makes the dream go away. Try to remember everything clearly. Be wary of Yulena. And don’t let Nihemse get you alone._

Jack frantically looked for more, but there wasn’t anything else written or any date on it. 

_I can’t remember! I don’t remember this at all! He panicked. I’ve got to get out of here!_

He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. _Okay, think. If I try to leave, I’ll be a target outside the palace walls. So … I need to work out some kind of disguise and then sneak out._ He paused and decided to write everything down. He took the ornate knife he’d been presented with during the betrothal into the bathroom and sliced open his wrist, collecting the blood in a cup. _I need to write this down in case I don’t make it, in case I forget again. But who’s behind all this?!_

He carefully cleaned the knife and put it back in place on the wall before returning to the new linen. He dipped one of the sticks into the blood and started to write. The wound on his hand was healed by the time he was done. He carefully folded and put everything away before cleaning the cup and sink. He jumped into the shower, feeling a bit sick. _I could be a prisoner here and not even know it … And I can’t even trust my own fiancée. I just wish I could remember! What’s happening to me?!_

“Jack! Where are you?” Yulena called. 

“In here,” Jack answered, trying to control his panic. 

“We’re going to be late for breakfast.” 

“Sorry! Be right out!” Jack took a few deep breaths, relying on his Time Agent training to help him calm back down. He put on his best Jack Harkness smile, slipping back into the role of charming fiancé. 

~~~ 

“This is getting a little bit boring,” Yulena complained as she and her brother watched the unresponsive Doctor. “Maybe you broke him too much.” 

“Well, we’re unfamiliar with Time Lords. They could have some kind of shut down mode when damaged, for all we know,” Nihemse said defensively. 

“Have you scanned him?” 

“Of course. There’s a lot of neural activity but not much else.” 

“Well, you’ll just have to fix him.” 

Nihemse glared at her. “What’s the matter? Bored with your own toy?” 

“Actually, he’s been acting a bit strange. Might be time to reset his memories again. He’s started refusing the rodmuku. He’s been distracted and disappearing now and then.” 

“Not good signs. All right, I’ll arrange with the lab to have him wiped tomorrow.” 

The Doctor let out a strangled cry, struggling in the tangle of ropes. “No! Leave him alone!” 

Yulena laughed as Nihemse merely raised an eyebrow. 

“You were listening. But … our monitors showed you weren’t even conscious,” Nihemse said. 

“Leave … Jack alone,” the Doctor gasped, squinting at them, as if trying to focus. “Let him go.” 

“Still so stubborn,” Yulena remarked, stepping forward and running her finger down the Doctor’s cheek. “Quite amazing, really.” 

“Please … you’ve had your fun. Just let him go. Do what you want with me.” 

She leaned forward and kissed him. “We _will_ do what we want, Doctor. You know that. And there’s not a thing you can do to stop us.” She licked her lips. “Hm, you taste funny.” 

They both looked up as Jack approached the mirror and laid one hand flat against it. 

Yulena frowned. “He’s been doing that far too often lately. It’s definitely time to reset his memory.” 

“I’m begging you. Don’t. Just let him go.” 

She grinned, kissing his cheek. “Now _that_ is much more entertaining, Doctor.” He straightened. “You know, Nihem, I think it would be great fun to actually let Jack see him.” 

“What?!” her brother exclaimed. 

“Hear me out. We could let them see each other. Let Jack realize what’s going on and then wipe his memory. Then we’d get to see his anguish, along with the Doctor’s. But he’d be forced to go back to being my plaything afterwards. Ooh, that would be a rush.” 

The Doctor’s eyes widened in horror. 

“Yulena, occasionally you are simply brilliant,” Nihemse said with a grin. 

“No!” the Doctor managed. “You can’t!” 

Yulena slapped him. “How dare you speak to me that way.” She grinned up at her brother. “Will you make the preparations?” 

“Absolutely. We’ll do it tomorrow night.” 

Yulena pouted. “I have to wait that long?” 

Nihemse rolled his yellow eyes. “Yes. You do. Now run along.” 

Yulena flounced out of the room. 

The Doctor started to sob quietly. “Please. Please don’t do this.” 

“Sorry, Doctor. You have nothing to offer that we can’t just take.” Nihemse called in the guards to begin making preparations. 

~~~ 

_To be continued …_


	4. Chapter 4

_Jack looked around. All he could see was a gray, featureless landscape. "Hello?" he called._

_"Jack."_

_His mind almost instinctively recoiled. "Doctor?"_

_The Doctor shimmered into place in front of him. "Jack, can you hear me?"_

_"Yeah," Jack said, folding his arms. Then he frowned. "Wait. Where the hell are we? What's going on?"_

_"Jack, this is really important. I need you to just listen. Please. You're dreaming. But what I'm saying to you is real. I'm communicating telepathically. And before you get angry with me, let me explain something. I didn't leave you, Jack. Ontuksians can alter memories, and they have altered yours. The nightmare you keep having? That was real. Your memories of me leaving you? Not real. They're manipulating your memories and keeping you compliant by making you drink that stuff."_

_"How do I know this is real?"_

_"I can't prove it beyond a doubt, Jack, but if you think about all the little things you've noticed … the drink, missing memories, no concept of time, you'll know that something is very wrong."_

_"You … didn't leave me?"_

_The Doctor seemed to slump slightly with relief. "No. I didn't. I love you, Jack."_

_"So, where are you?"_

_"The mirror."_

_"What?"_

_"It's a two-way mirror. I'm in a room on the other side. I think the entrance is well-hidden, though."_

_"Why are they doing this?"_

_"Jack, we don't have time. I need you to listen. You've gotten most of the chemicals out of your system. Tomorrow, they're planning to reset your memory again, so we need to act now. I'm sorry, but you need to kill yourself."_

_"And I'll heal my memories?"_

_"I think so. It's certainly the best option, with all the stuff out of your system. Once you come back to life, get out of here. Find transport and get as far away from this place as possible."_

_"No. You didn't leave me, and I won't leave you. Tell me how to get you out of there. Where's the TARDIS?"_

_"They have it. They've been trying to break into it."_

_"Can you find her?"_

_"I might be able to. But it's too risky."_

_"Well, we'll have to chance it, because I'm not leaving you."_

_The image of the Doctor started to fade. "Jack, please … just … get out of here." He fell to his knees._

_"Doctor!" Jack tried to hold onto him, but there was nothing but air. "DOCTOR!"_

_"Goodbye, Jack. I love you."_

~~~

Jack nearly fell out of bed as he woke up with a start. He forced himself to stay still until he was sure Yulena was still asleep.

As quietly as possible, he slipped out of bed, grabbed the knife, and went into the bathroom. It wouldn't be tidy, but he had to kill himself before he started to forget the "dream." He stripped and sat in the bathtub, aiming the knife at his throat. He took a deep breath and counted to three before plunging the knife into his own throat.

~~~

Yulena awoke to the sound of the shower running. _That's odd_ , she thought to herself. _Jack is so rarely up before me._ She stretched and slowly got up to get dressed. She smirked into the mirror, wondering if the Doctor was awake and watching. She was surprised when Jack came out of the bathroom fully dressed.

"Good morning," he said, taking her into his arms and nuzzling her neck.

"You're up early today," she commented, leaning into his caress.

"Had a rough night, actually," he replied.

"Oh? You could have woken me …"

"Nah. Didn't want to worry you. Besides, I feel fine now."

She smiled. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."

"Tell me again, sweetheart, how long have I been having bad dreams?"

Yulena froze, her heart pounding in her chest.

Jack stopped caressing her and looked down at her with a steely gaze. "Go on. Tell me. How long?"

Yulena was at a loss for words.

Jack let go of her and grabbed a heavy, ornate chair and flung it at the mirror.

Yulena screamed as it shattered into thousands of pieces. She was too shocked to resist as Jack grabbed her and laid his knife against her throat.

When the last of the mirror had fallen, they could see through the window.

"Doctor!" Jack gasped. He stared in horror at the limp form of the Time Lord through the glass. The other side hadn't broken.

"You remembered," Yulena growled, trying to fight against him.

"I did, Your Highness," Jack said into her ear, bringing the knife closer to her skin. "And if you want to live, I suggest you do exactly what I say."

Guards burst into the room. "Princess!"

"Not another move!" Jack shouted. "I'll cut her throat!"

The guards froze, looking between her face and his.

"Tell them! Tell them to put down their weapons."

"Do what he says," Yulena said, truly fearing for her life.

The guards obeyed.

Jack stole another glance through the window. "Now, I know all the guards are telepathically linked. Have them untie the Doctor."

"Jack, I'm telling you, there's no way out of this," Yulena pleaded.

"DO IT!"

Yulena nodded at the guards. Jack watched attentively as two guards entered the Doctor's cell and started to untie him.

"And while we're waiting, have the TARDIS brought up here. Put it in the cell."

Yulena nodded again.

"Now, princess, tell this nice guard right here where you put my wristcomp and my coat, so he can go get them."

"Jack, you can't do this!"

He shoved her forward, so that her bare feet hit the floor littered with shards of glass.

She screamed as they cut into her feett, causing pale yellow blood to seep onto the floor.

"Want to try again?"

"Okay, okay! Just let me go!"

"No. Now tell him. And then we're going to collect a few other things, Princess."

~~~

Nihemse woke up as he was forcibly pulled from bed. He looked at the guards in confusion. "What are you doing?! Stop this immediately! I order you!"

"I'm sorry, Prince Nihemse. It's the human. He has your sister and is threatening to do her harm unless we do what he says."

Nihemse still tried to break free. "Then use the Doctor as leverage!"

"We can't. He broke the mirror and can now see everything that happens to him. We can't touch him."

"So, you're just going along with it?!"

"We must, or risk your sister's life."

"I'll have you all for treason!" Nihemse shouted as they dragged him down the hall.

~~~

It took a while, but Jack finally had everything the way he wanted it. He was back in possession of his wristcomp and coat, which had his TARDIS key inside. The rest of the royal family was tied up and sitting on the bed. And the TARDIS was being wheeled into the Doctor's cell.

He glanced nervously at the Doctor, who remained unconscious.

"What the fuck did you do to him?" Jack demanded.

"He's our pet," Nihemse answered after a silence.

"You tortured him. Why?!"

"We did with him as we pleased, Jack. It was fascinating to have a creature whose memories we can't control," the prince replied.

"I swear to you, I will be back. I won't forget what you've done to him, you bastard."

"You can't leave, Jack," Yulena said, trying to stand still on top of the broken glass. "How are you gonna get into that room?"

"You're going to come with me, and the guards are all going to get on the floor, if they know what's good for you. Let's go."

When the guards didn't move, Jack shoved Yulena forward, causing her to scream as she cut her feet again.

The guards grudgingly got down on the floor; Jack could see the ones in the Doctor's cell doing the same. Jack pulled Yulena out of the room with him. "Now, dearest, which way?"


	5. Chapter 5

“There. He’s in there,” Yulena said, pointing to a door after many twists and turns. 

The guard was on the floor as Jack has ordered.

“You! Are the other guards all on the floor inside? If they’ve touched the Doctor …”

“They have not. No one will risk harm to the princess,” he answered. 

Jack dragged Yulena forward. 

“Jack, please, you’re hurting me,” she pleaded. “Let me go! You’ve got what you need now!” 

“You’re not going anywhere yet,” Jack growled, moving to the door and twisting the handle. 

~~~

The Doctor stirred as he heard shouting around him. He realized with a start that he was no longer tied up and could move slightly. Then he recognized the voice. 

“Jack,” he mumbled, trying to push himself up. 

“Doctor, just stay still. I’m getting you out of here.” 

The Doctor obeyed, unable to do anything else. He tried to look around and figure out what was going on, but he couldn’t manage it. Contacting Jack last night had taken most of his remaining energy. 

His head lifted slightly as he heard the unmistakable sound of the TARDIS doors opening.

“Put him inside the TARDIS. And be gentle.” 

The Doctor felt himself being lifted up and nearly lapsed back to sleep as he felt the soothing presence of the TARDIS comforting him. He was never so relieved to feel the grated floor underneath him. He could feel the TARDIS’s horror as she realized his condition. 

_I’ll be all right_ , he told her. _Look after Jack until we’re safe, please._

He knew there wasn’t much she could do, but he wanted her attention on Jack, since he was the one in immediate danger. 

He could hear the Ontuksians shouting, and then Yulena’s voice was near. 

“What the ... it’s bigger on the inside! This is impossible!” 

The TARDIS doors closed.

“Jack,” the Doctor called weakly. 

“I’m here,” Jack’s voice came back to him. “Don’t worry, Doctor. It’s almost over. Just hang on a little longer.” 

“Jack, let me go. You’ve got what you want. You can’t take me with you!” 

“Believe me, I’ve got half a mind to. I could lock you up and torture you like you tortured him!” 

Yulena started to cry. 

“But I’ve got much more important things to worry about than you.” By the sounds, he could tell Jack had set the TARDIS to make a jump into the Vortex. 

He heard some more shouting and screaming before the TARDIS doors opened and slammed shut. Footsteps ran back up the ramp and threw the lever to send the TARDIS into the Vortex. 

The Doctor could feel tears of relief slipping down his cheeks. 

“Doctor,” Jack was beside him now, laying something warm over his naked form. “It’s over. We’re safe.” Gentle fingers wiped away the tears. “Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you.” 

“Jack.” The Doctor couldn’t manage any other words and started to shiver. 

Jack wrapped his arms around him. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” 

The Doctor managed a small smile. “Good.” 

~~~

It took all of Jack’s self-control not to attempt to pilot the TARDIS straight back to Ontuksia when he realized the extent of the Doctor’s injuries. After carrying him to the medbay, the TARDIS had obligingly changed the monitor displays to English to help Jack care for her Time Lord. 

The Doctor was covered in bruises, welts, and cuts. The TARDIS readouts gave the location of many broken bones and indicated areas of muscle wastage. Jack nearly screamed out loud when he realized the Doctor had been raped multiple times. He pulled himself together. 

“What do I do?” he asked aloud. “Tell me how to help him.” 

Instead of outlining a treatment plan, the TARDIS displayed an internal map, indicating a room that Jack was not familiar with. 

“What’s that?” 

The Doctor stirred. “Zero room,” he mumbled. 

Jack leaned over him. “I thought you were unconscious.”

“Time Lord,” the Doctor said with a slight smirk. “TARDIS … need the Zero Room.” 

“Okay. I can move you there.”

“I’ll sleep and heal most of the damage,” the Doctor explained. “Might take a bit.” 

He felt Jack’s lips tenderly graze his forehead. “You take as long as you need. I’ll wait.” 

~~~

On day five, the TARDIS alerted Jack that the Doctor had managed to heal all of his broken bones and the worst of the muscular damage. He was no longer in a regenerative sleep. Jack had kept an almost constant vigil over him in the Zero Room, as he glowed with a faint gold energy. 

“Doctor?” Jack asked, standing beside him, running his fingers through his hair. “You with me?” 

The Doctor didn’t respond. 

Jack checked the TARDIS monitors, but all he could tell was that the Doctor was either asleep or unconscious. He gently picked up the Doctor and carried him to one of the many bathrooms. He carefully laid him down on the mat as he started the bath running. 

~~~

The Doctor started to come around as he felt water on his skin. He tried to talk, but his tongue felt as if it were made of lead.

“Doctor?” 

The Doctor tried again to talk or open his eyes, but he couldn’t manage it. Everything felt dulled and “fuzzy” after being in the Zero Room. He appreciated the fact that the TARDIS had helped him heal, but he wanted his body back under his own control. 

“Shh, it’s okay. Just relax.” 

Jack didn’t understand. He didn’t know what this was like for a Time Lord. He heard splashing and then felt Jack take one of his hands and lift his arm up, running soft wash cloth over it. Jack gently placed his arm back under the water. 

“Hey,” Jack whispered, wiping tears from the Doctor’s cheeks with his thumb. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but if you can, it’s okay. I’ve got you, sweetheart. Everything’s going to be all right. Don’t cry.” 

The Doctor felt his hearts nearly break. Jack’s gentleness was almost unbearable after what he had endured. Jack kissed his forehead and temple tenderly. 

The Doctor forced his eyes to open.

“Hey,” Jack said, smiling down at him. “Can you talk?” 

The Doctor managed to shake his head. 

Jack kissed his forehead again. “It’s okay. I’m sure you’ll be rambling at me before you know it. You’ve healed most of the damage, so I thought we’d get you cleaned up. Is that okay?” 

The Doctor nodded, gulping as more tears ran down his face.

Jack ran his fingers through the Doctor’s dirty hair. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

The Doctor closed his eyes, completely ashamed as his weakened body shook with sobs. 

He felt Jack’s arms around his shoulders, pulling him against his chest. He realized distantly that Jack’s shirt was getting wet as he held him tight and murmured soothing words into his hair. He would have tried to pull away if he’d had the strength. Then he remembered Jack looking after him on Azamarya and telling him not to be embarrassed. He could remember those times now and not feel his hearts break. 

This was Jack – _his_ Jack – who had seen him through some of the worst and best times in his life and had loved him for longer than a normal human could even comprehend. All of his experiences with Jack were starting to coalesce into something … though he wasn’t quite sure what. What he could determine for the moment was that he was safe and loved, and that it was all right to cry in front of him. 

“I’m so sorry,” Jack told him. “If I’d know you were on the other side of that mirror …”

The Doctor shook his head, trying to tell Jack not to feel guilty. 

“I know. It wasn’t my fault, but … God, I’m sorry.” 

The Doctor firmly pushed the memories away and took some deep breaths. The sobs and shaking eased.

Jack gently let go and lowered him back into the warm water. 

The Doctor opened his eyes again and watched Jack as he gently washed the dirt, grime, and blood off his body. He relaxed and stopped fighting his body for control. He trusted Jack to take care of him until he was back on his feet. 

~~~

Jack laid the Doctor down in his bed, tucking the blankets around him. He sat beside him, stroking his now clean hair softly. “All right? Warm enough?” 

The Doctor nodded and whispered, “Thank you.” 

“Get some sleep. I’ll fix you something to eat and make some tea, okay?” 

The Doctor weakly grasped Jack’s wrist. “Stay.” 

“Of course,” Jack said, stretching out beside him. He kept stroking the Doctor’s hair rhythmically. “I’ll stay as long as you want me to.” He chuckled softly. “At least I should stop having bad dreams now.” 

“Lucky you,” the Doctor murmured without thinking.

Jack frowned and kissed his temple. “I’ll be here.” He wrapped his free arm lightly around the Doctor’s waist. “Tell me what else I can do.” 

The Doctor shook his head, holding back his tears. He couldn’t remember the last time he had properly slept, instead of just lapsing into unconsciousness. 

“We’re gonna have to get you eating properly again tomorrow,” Jack told him as he continued stroking his hair. “You’ve lost a considerable amount of weight. But I’m sure with a little of _my_ cooking, we can fix that.” 

The Time Lord’s lips twitched into a small smile. 

“Do you want to go somewhere? Somewhere quiet and safe? With a beach? Slow down for just a little bit until you’re better?” 

The Doctor shrugged, and Jack took that as a “maybe.” 

“Okay. Try to get some sleep, sweetheart.” 

“Don’t go,” the Doctor mumbled, turning and clinging onto Jack’s shirt. 

Jack kissed the top of his head and hugged him. “I won’t. I’m right here. Just relax and try to rest.” He could feel the Doctor’s shoulders start to shake slightly. “Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” The Time Lord began to calm in his embrace. “That’s it, sweetheart. Everything’s all right. You’re safe.” 

The Doctor sniffled and let his cheek rest against Jack’s chest. Slowly, his breathing evened out as he finally dropped down into sleep. 

As he listened to the Doctor’s breathing, Jack tried to push thoughts of revenge out of his head. It would have to wait, at least until the Doctor was fully recovered. 

He concentrated instead on the amount of trust the Doctor put in him in order to be vulnerable in front of him. It wasn’t as if he had had much of a choice, but he seemed to be accepting it rather than fighting it. As he rested his head lightly against the headboard, he couldn’t deny how amazing that felt, to have the Doctor’s trust, after waiting for so long. Free from the effects of the Ontuksian drugs and influence, he realized that a lifetime (or several) spent with only one other person was something that no longer frightened him – so long as that other person was his Doctor. 

~~~

**Epilogue**

“Are you ready?” Jack asked the Doctor.

“Yes,” the Doctor answered. He was standing next to the TARDIS console with a wired nodes attached his to his temple – a neural interface. 

Once the Doctor was back on his feet, the two of them had worked out a plan for Ontuksia. 

“All right. Let me know if you get tired or … if anything goes wrong, okay?” 

The Doctor nodded. For the moment, he still accepted Jack’s fussing. He had been in a bad state when he’d been rescued. 

“Okay, here we go. Tuning you into the general Ontuksian frequency.” Jack flipped a switch and slowly turned the dial to the correct frequency. “You’re on.” 

The Doctor closed his eyes, projecting telepathically. “People of Ontuksia. Please forgive this intrusion. My name is the Doctor. I know that you are happy under the rule of the Gontreckna family, but I must let you know of a terrible injustice that is occurring in their house even as we speak. They acquire exotic ‘pets’ and then torture them. This is a favorite pastime of your beloved Prince Nihemse. Unfortunately, these ‘pets’ are sentient beings. How do I know all of this? Because, recently, I had the misfortune of being a ‘pet’ of the Gontreckna family. And if you don’t believe me, I can prove it. Here is a brief glimpse of my experiences.” He paused, letting some pre-selected memories of his imprisonment filter through. “If you want to see this continue, then do nothing. However, if you want things to change, for your beautiful planet to regain its good name, then I suggest you take non-violent action to remove them from power. And since you are telepathic, and they are not, they’ll have no idea what you’re planning. Thank you for your time.” 

Jack flipped the switch back and dialed back the frequency. He leapt forward and caught the Doctor as he swayed. “You all right?” 

The Doctor shook his head to clear it and opened his eyes. “Yeah, sorry. I’m fine. It’s been a while since I’ve tried a planet-wide telepathic broadcast.”

Jack smiled. “Well, if that doesn’t plant the seeds of a revolution, I don’t know what will. I still say you should just let me go back there and –“

“Jack.” 

“Sorry.” He looked carefully at the Doctor’s face as he packed away the parts for the neural interface. “Come on. You need a cup of tea and some kip.” 

The Doctor grinned lopsidedly. “Ah, come on, Captain. Taking down the Gontrecknas? I think that calls for a bit more of a celebration.” 

Jack smiled back. “I know. But it can wait one night. Come on.” He took the Doctor by the elbow and led him towards the kitchen.

“You know,” the Doctor announced as they walked down the hall. “I think one of us is getting old, and it isn’t me!” 

Jack laughed. “Hey, I _am_ actually older than you.” They paused as Jack’s mobile rang. 

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Who would that be? Former lover?”

Jack smirked. “Could be, since you upgraded me to universal roaming. Why? You jealous?” He flipped open the phone as the Doctor sputtered. “Hello?” 

“Jack, it’s Martha. Would you two mind making a detour to Earth? Torchwood could really use your help.” 

~~~


End file.
